I Level Up With In-app Purchases

I Raise With In-app Purchases – 32

EP.32 Opened the Door (1)

I opened the door to the church leader’s room, which had become much more luxurious since the last time I visited. The door, boasting a soft yet substantial weight, swung open, revealing the leader standing inside with a gentle smile and open arms.

“How long has it been! Fran!”

“Ah!”

It was him. It had been quite some time since I last saw his face, due to attending the academy. The distance and my busy schedule with missionary activities had reduced the frequency of our meetings. Although I knew I missed him, seeing him in person brought tears to my eyes.

“Welcome.”

“Leader.”

“Oh dear, you’re still such a crybaby, aren’t you? Shedding tears the moment we meet. Come, let me comfort you. Come into your mother’s arms. I’ll hold you.”

I wanted to rush into his arms immediately. In the past, I would never have refused. I knew better than anyone how peaceful his embrace was. Crying my heart out in his arms would erase my fears and warm my cold, aching body.

But I couldn’t do that now.

“I’m sorry. I can’t.”

The leader tilted his head, puzzled by my words. It was understandable that he was surprised by his young daughter’s sudden refusal.

“Why not? Come to think of it, you don’t look well. Oh dear, who has done this to you again? Are you very upset?”

Since childhood, I had been bullied by the sisters within the church. And each time, the leader would comfort me, holding me as I cried bitterly.

“No!! It’s not that.”

Even now, look. The only person who stands by me is him. Even if the whole world hated me, he would always open his arms and embrace me. He always had.

So, it was only natural that I loved him. Even if he was a bad person to others, I could never betray him.

The grace he had shown me was deep and profound. It was beyond my ability to repay.

“Are you sure? You’re not hiding it out of concern for the sisters?”

“I’m not lying. No one has done anything bad to me.”

The sisters had merely shared their pain. Unable to contain my anger after hearing it, I had come to see the leader. The journey from the academy to the main church where the leader resided was longer than I had expected. It gave me plenty of time to organize my thoughts.

“Is that so? It seems I worried for nothing.”

“Yes. I’ve grown up a lot. I’m no longer a child who cries from being bullied. I came to see you today because I have something I want to ask.”

“Something you want to ask… It’s surprising because you’ve never done this before. You’ve grown so much since I last saw you.”

The leader asked me to wait for a moment and seated me on a chair. He then returned with a steaming cup of cocoa in each hand.

“Here, it’s your favorite cocoa. Let’s talk while you drink it slowly.”

“Thank you, Leader.”

– Sip— Sip. –

Drinking the warm cocoa calmed my nerves significantly. My pale complexion began to regain some color. Although my heart felt a bit more settled, the heavy topic I needed to discuss made me sigh involuntarily.

“So, what is it that you came to ask your mother?”

The leader must have sensed the serious atmosphere. He could tell that something was amiss because I couldn’t hide my emotions.

After taking a deep breath, I finally broached the main topic with diffichurchy.

“Leader, did you know that the sisters are engaging in prostitution as part of their missionary activities?”

“Hmm…”

The leader couldn’t easily answer my question. After a long moment of contemplation, he spoke as if he had no other choice.

“Has that been happening?”

“Yes, and it’s not just in church. It seems this kind of missionary work is happening in most of the churchs.”

If he truly didn’t know, he would be deeply troubled and shocked. If he did know, he would likely show a troubled expression.

What kind of expression would he make? I kept my eyes fixed on the leader’s face without looking away for a moment. After hesitating for a long time, the leader finally spoke again.

“…Why would the sisters do such a thing? This is the first I’ve heard of it, so it’s quite sudden. Have you confirmed this is true and not just a rumor?”

“Yes. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“As the leader responsible for everyone, it’s not my place to say this, but could it be just that one sister’s deviation?”

That couldn’t be! If it were just an isolated incident, I wouldn’t have rushed here so urgently.

“Unfortunately, it has already become a widely spread method of missionary work among the sisters. And I also heard that you ordered the use of prostitution for missionary activities.”

“Fran, are you doubting me?”

“Yes, of course. Doubting you is like wringing my own flesh in pain. So please, tell me. Is what I heard really true?”

I hoped for a denial, which was why I asked.

“No. I would never let our precious sisters suffer in such a way. Do you not know why I created this church?”

“I know very well. I dare say I understand it better than anyone. But my faith is wavering now, Leader.”

“You must not waver, Fran.”

The leader spoke desperately, as if he were someone possessed by a demon.

“Do not doubt your faith.”

Fran recited the doctrine while looking at the leader.

“Do not doubt your faith.”

The leader echoed my words.

“Given the situation, I believe things need to change now, Leader.”

“Of course. Things must change.”

“The sisters sacrificing themselves for missionary work is unacceptable.”

“Absolutely.”

“I told the sisters to stop because it was wrong, but they didn’t listen. However, I believe they will listen if you tell them, Leader.”

I hoped the leader would agree with me. I wanted him to prove that all the unbelievable rumors were false.

“Alright. I will personally take care of this matter from now on. I didn’t realize my daughter was suffering because of this. You have important things to do in the future, don’t you?”

The leader often told her that she was destined for great things. He said he was an angel sent to purify the world and even elevated her to the position of ‘Saintess.’

“I never imagined such a disgraceful thing would happen. Please don’t blame the sisters. They must have had their reasons.”

The leader placed a hand on his chest and sighed deeply, as if genuinely pained. He even comforted the sisters who must have been hurt. There was nothing odd about his demeanor.

‘The leader probably didn’t know. Rumors often get distorted.’

I closed my eyes tightly and bit my lip. I needed to get a grip. I had to reflect on my past doubts about the leader.

“I’m ashamed to have shown such a lack of faith. I’m such an inadequate person.”

Tears welled up in the leader’s eyes, and soon, clean tears rolled down his cheeks.

“It breaks my heart to think of how many sisters must be suffering.”

“I’m sorry. Even if it was just for a moment, I doubted you.”

“It’s alright. It’s understandable. It’s enough that you repent. Now, will you come into your mother’s arms?”

“Yes, Leader.”

The church would change. Since the leader said he would personally take care of it, there was no need to worry anymore. A smile naturally formed on my face out of relief. It felt as if everything had already been resolved.

“I don’t understand how the sisters ended up using such methods for missionary work.”

“Hmm… I can’t fathom it either. I did notice that the donations to the church had increased significantly at some point. I just thought it was because our church had become well-known to many people.”

Cautiously, I offered my opinion.

“I think the missionary system is flawed.”

“The missionary system?”

“Yes. You give a bit more allowance to those who bring in more donations. I think that might have sparked competition among the sisters.”

“Hmm… But if we abolish the missionary system, will the other sisters still be motivated to do missionary work?”

“Even without such a reward system, the sisters would strive to spread the good word.”

I wasn’t sure if my opinion would be accepted. Still, I thought it was better to speak up than to stay silent.

“You need to address this issue as soon as possible. The church’s image has deteriorated significantly because the sisters are engaging in prostitution for missionary work. People even expect me to do the same.”

“!!!!”

The leader’s expression hardened at my words.

“You didn’t, did you?”

“At that time, I didn’t know the sisters were involved in prostitution. I thought it was nonsense. But they insisted it wasn’t a lie and offered to show me.”

“…”

“I saw a sister engaging in prostitution at the place we went to. I realized then that they were enduring such suffering to collect donations. I felt ashamed of my past, living peacefully at the academy, unaware of their pain.”

“You must have felt guilty.”

“Yes, I thought it would have been better to share their suffering.”

The leader furrowed his brows deeply and grabbed my wrist.

“So, did you defile yourself?”

“What?”

His gaze was cold and frightening.

“Ah, it hurts, Leader.”

He gripped my wrist so tightly that it began to hurt. His sharp nails dug into my skin.